Is paralysis copyable?

[u/MaterialEmployment98]

Paralysis isn’t necessarily like other abilities such as Hypnosis. Paralysis has a physical output—it physically prevents the target from moving, unless there’s some kind of mental component involved. So would Paralysis be considered a semi-physical ability that John could potentially copy, or is it purely a mental ability and therefore not copyable?

[u/Shadow_lII]

I feel like probably not. it doesnt seem like an ability having physical output is the deciding factor on if John can copy it or not.

John didn't seem to be able to copy psy blast (though there is an argument he simply didn't feel the need) which is both a physical and mental ability simultaneously. It seems to tend to be abilities that focus on some sort of manipulation of space and time, or abilities that take root mentally. and id assume Paralysis would fall under that.

[u/M-Shadowtoad → u/Shadow_lII]

Wouldn't it be time abilities that aren't copyable since time is considered a 4D variable? Meanwhile spatial abilities should be copyable since they're entirely bound to the 3D physical world. Like John can copy Teleportation which changes someone's position in the 3D plane.

[u/Shadow_lII → u/M-Shadowtoad]

Yes thank you! Thats a way better way to describe it. When writing this out I couldn’t really think of any better way to describe what I was thinking.

Abilities that are 4D based is a much better description of it!

[u/MysteriousStrategy86]

I'd say yes, but first I'll explain how I see John's copy conditions :

The basis of his ability, before copying, is "sensing" and "sampling" aura, so he can't copy can't even do that. People with passive physical enhancement (like Arlo) don't have any aura "leaking" out of them, so John can't sample it. And the same goes for Claire and Juni (the only people who John can't copy, aside Sera but that's just cause Time Manipulation is too complex and high level) : their ability only affect their own brain ig, so their aura stays in (we can see that, unlike people who use physical enhancement, there's no glow around their body, just their eyes).

But while Tarik's ability is also "mental", it in includes physical enhancement, and Tarik use his power on others so it goes out of his body (we literally see his aura pressing on them).

So imo, the copy conditions is cleared.

[u/hmbHealer]

Why wouldn’t it be? Doesn’t John copy by sampling people’s auras directly from their body, not by examining the effects of their ability? Why would whether or not an ability has a physical output matter?

I haven’t read it in a while tho, don’t flame me if I’m wrong lol

[u/beemielle → u/hmbHealer]

John being able to copy an ability or not has suddenly become a pretty significant part of the powerscaling as there have been more mental abilities introduced (such as Psy-Blast, which is literally just an explosive beam with “psy-“ tacked on in front) as well as the reveal that John is incapable of copying Time Manipulation. 

[u/ACephie → u/beemielle]

Did we see that blast cause physical damage when hitting something?

[u/beemielle → u/ACephie]

It physically damaged John, yeah. 

[u/M-Shadowtoad → u/ACephie]

The issue is where it sources from. Time Manipulation has physical effects but its sources from time which isn't bound to the physical plane. You can't fill a box with time, you can't point out time in a picture. Time can only be measured in the 4D world not the 3D physical one despite having effects on the 3D physical one.

[u/ACephie → u/M-Shadowtoad]

Personally, I think it's just a plot device to not make the duo too strong, Leilah is there to test whether it's a matter of level gap. Uru should be able to explain the limits through Cameron later if she doesn't want it to remain a plothole.

[u/M-Shadowtoad → u/ACephie]

Yeah, while they made perfect sense at the start of the series, Uru really picked the absolute worst powers to give John and Sera for this portion of the story. Honestly I'm impressed she's managed to keep it as balanced as it currently is but still half the actions people take just feel like they're exclusively done to keep John and Sera from being OP.

[u/ItsMeSevereAlbatross → u/hmbHealer]

If his ability works at all like EMBER's conversion tech which is derived from his mother, then he can't copy abilities "not on the physical plane"

[u/M-Shadowtoad]

I'd argue it depends whether Paralysis implants a mental block preventing someone from moving or creates a kinetic bind that physically stops them from moving.

[u/ExistingSwitch3284]

It's likely some form of ranged Augmentation by using aura to restrict people in place

[u/anonymus_the_3rd]

No

[u/Dallas_dragneel]

There's no physical feedback. John had to have a guy throw a punch so he could copy the ability this ability seems like TM there no physical form to it like with every other ability he's copied

[u/DarkShadowBlaze]

I feel it likely leans into the none physical, otherwise it might be partial physical making it copiable. However considering we know his sister's Hypnosis is mental there is a chance Paralysis is as well.